Global Pulse

标签： Europe

欧洲

  • Canada’s Mark Carney heading to Norway to watch NATO exercises, meet with prime minister

    Canada’s Mark Carney heading to Norway to watch NATO exercises, meet with prime minister

    OTTAWA, Canada — Prime Minister Mark Carney will commence a significant diplomatic tour this Friday with a visit to Norway, where he will observe NATO’s major Arctic military exercise before proceeding to high-level meetings in the United Kingdom, according to an official announcement from his office on Monday.

    The centerpiece of Carney’s Nordic agenda involves first-hand observation of the Norwegian-led NATO Cold Response exercise, a biennial multinational training operation featuring approximately 25,000 personnel from 14 allied nations. This comprehensive drill focuses on enhancing interoperability across land, air, and sea domains under challenging Arctic conditions, with participation from Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, Netherlands, France, Sweden, and Finland.

    In an official statement, Prime Minister Carney emphasized Canada’s enduring Arctic sovereignty, stating: “Canada is, and forever will be, an Arctic nation. In the face of new threats, we are deepening defense collaboration with our Arctic partners to create a stronger, more prosperous, and more secure world for Canada and for all.”

    Beyond the military observation, Carney’s diplomatic schedule includes a bilateral meeting with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre in Oslo. Their agenda encompasses broader strategic cooperation, including trade relations, investment opportunities, clean energy initiatives, critical mineral resources, and aerospace sector collaboration.

    The Prime Minister will subsequently participate in the Canada-Nordic Summit, convening with regional leaders to strengthen geopolitical coordination and address shared global challenges. Before returning to Canada, Carney will complete his European mission with a stop in London for discussions with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, where defense coordination and the ongoing Middle East conflict will feature prominently on their agenda.

  • EU recovery funds fuel frenzied restorations around Rome, including at famed basilica

    EU recovery funds fuel frenzied restorations around Rome, including at famed basilica

    ROME — While Michelangelo’s monumental Moses sculpture has long drawn visitors to the Basilica of San Pietro in Vincoli, a remarkable transformation is now unfolding within its hallowed halls. A substantial infusion of European Union pandemic recovery funding has ignited an ambitious restoration campaign, bringing to light centuries-old artistic treasures that have languished in obscurity.

    High above the basilica floor, restorer Melanie Khanthajan works with surgical precision at a dizzying 20-meter (65-foot) elevation. Armed with specialized tools, she meticulously executes the delicate ‘descialbo’ technique—carefully removing layers of accumulated plaster to reveal serpentine decorations surrounding a historically significant coat of arms. ‘Each layer removal presents new discoveries,’ Khanthajan reflects from her scaffolding perch. ‘It’s an ongoing revelation that continually surprises and delights our team.’

    The comprehensive restoration encompasses the basilica’s ceilings, altar, tombs, marble columns, and decorative elements through a €2 million ($2.3 million) EU grant. This investment supports eleven dedicated restorers working at an accelerated pace to meet the 2026 funding deadline. The project forms part of Rome’s broader ‘Caput Mundi’ initiative, which allocated €500 million ($579 million) for over 100 cultural renovations throughout the Eternal City.

    Built during the 5th century under the Eastern Roman Empire and later reconstructed under Pope Julius II in the 16th century, the basilica derives its name (‘vincoli’ meaning chains) from the revered relics contained within its altar—chains traditionally believed to have bound St. Peter in Jerusalem that miraculously fused with those from his Roman imprisonment.

    The current restoration focuses particularly on the Della Rovere family coat of arms, featuring a distinctive oak tree motif that Pope Julius II incorporated throughout the church’s ceilings, arches, and chapels. While Michelangelo’s iconic Moses remains untouched for now, the masterpiece will receive careful cleaning upon project completion.

    Ilaria Sgarbozza, scientific director of the restoration project, notes the extraordinary timeline: ‘Work commenced approximately eight months ago and will conclude by May 2026—a remarkably accelerated schedule that demonstrates our commitment to preserving this cultural heritage.’ The project represents both a technical achievement in art conservation and a symbolic rebirth of historical treasures through strategic EU investment.

  • Belarus journalist convicted of treason and sentenced to 9 years in prison

    Belarus journalist convicted of treason and sentenced to 9 years in prison

    In a continuing assault on press freedom, Belarusian authorities have sentenced journalist Pavel Dabravolski to nine years in a maximum-security prison on treason charges, marking the fifth media professional imprisoned within two weeks. The closed-door trial at Minsk City Court proceeded without public scrutiny, according to documentation from the Belarusian Association of Journalists.

    Dabravolski, a 36-year-old award-winning reporter who contributed to both international and domestic news outlets including the now-outlawed BelaPAN network, becomes the latest casualty in President Alexander Lukashenko’s systematic suppression of independent journalism. The conviction follows Lukashenko’s pattern of consolidating power through relentless opposition crackdowns that intensified following the disputed 2020 presidential election.

    The political landscape in Belarus has been characterized by widespread repression since the 2020 protests, which international observers denounced as fraudulent. During the unrest, authorities arrested over 65,000 demonstrators, subjected thousands to physical violence, and systematically dismantled hundreds of independent media organizations and NGOs.

    Exiled opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya condemned the verdict, stating Dabravolski faced ‘trumped-up charges’ for merely performing his journalistic duties during the post-election coverage. ‘We see that the conveyor belt of repression inside Belarus continues unabated,’ she declared.

    Andrei Bastunets, head of the Belarusian Association of Journalists, confirmed to Associated Press that repression is escalating significantly, noting that Belarus now holds Europe’s worst record for freedom of speech. The organization documents 28 journalists currently imprisoned—a statistic that contradicts government claims of improving human rights conditions through recent prisoner releases.

    Parallel to media suppression, Belarusian security forces have intensified targeting of cultural institutions. On Monday, the KGB designated four independent publishing houses producing Belarusian-language literature as ‘extremist’ without justification. This aligns with Lukashenko’s longstanding promotion of Russian language dominance—now comprising most official business and media content—while marginalizing native Belarusian language and culture.

    Human rights organization Viasna reports at least 10 individuals have been arrested in the past month during raids on independent publishers, estimating the total number of political prisoners at 1,140. These developments occur despite Lukashenko’s recent gestures toward Western reconciliation through limited prisoner releases, while maintaining close ties with Moscow amid international sanctions.

  • Hundreds of teenagers report for duty as Croatia reinstates conscription

    Hundreds of teenagers report for duty as Croatia reinstates conscription

    Croatia has officially resumed compulsory military service for the first time since its abolition in 2008, with an initial cohort of 800 recruits reporting for duty. Remarkably, more than half of these individuals volunteered proactively rather than awaiting formal conscription notices. The group includes a significant female participation rate of 10%, despite no legal obligation for women to serve.

    The training program will be conducted across three strategically located barracks, with recruits assigned to facilities nearest their residences. For the next two months, participants will undergo intensive military conditioning, receiving standardized kit and dormitory accommodations. Chief of the General Staff Tihomir Kundid acknowledged the disruptive nature of transition from civilian life while assuring careful handling of new recruits. “We will acclimatize them step by step to minimize stress,” he stated, noting minimal mobile phone restrictions except during training exercises.

    The conscription revival stems directly from regional security concerns amplified by the Ukraine conflict. With only Hungary separating Croatia from the war zone, Defense Minister Ivan Anusic cited fundamentally altered circumstances: “The situation in Croatia and our neighborhood was stable. Right now, it’s completely different.” He referenced four years of Russian aggression and proxy activities throughout Europe.

    Croatia’s decision reflects broader Balkan militarization trends. Serbia has announced plans to reintroduce conscription within twelve months while significantly increasing defense expenditures. Slovenia’s largest opposition party advocates similar measures ahead of parliamentary elections. This regional arms race has heightened tensions in Kosovo and Bosnia, with Serbia expressing alarm over Croatia’s new military alliance with Kosovo and Albania.

    Analyst James Ker-Lindsay specializing in Balkan conflicts warned: “Any military development in the Balkans makes the region less secure as everyone interprets it as being aimed against them. When Croatia buys arms, Serbia responds in kind.

    Conscientious objectors remain minimal with only ten registrations to date. These individuals will undertake four months of civilian service receiving less than half the €1,100 monthly allowance granted to military recruits.

    The training curriculum promises dynamic engagement combining traditional warfare techniques with modern cybersecurity protocols, drone operation, and counter-drone technologies. Croatia joins nine other NATO members including Greece, Turkey, and Baltic states in maintaining mandatory military service, with plans for three additional intakes this year targeting 4,000 annual recruits thereafter.

  • Stars hit Paris runways, but fall’s real trend was dressing for hard times — and real life

    Stars hit Paris runways, but fall’s real trend was dressing for hard times — and real life

    PARIS — The autumn-winter 2024 season at Paris Fashion Week transcended its traditional celebrity spectacle to deliver a profound industry reset. While front rows featured Oprah Winfrey, Rooney Mara, and Diane Kruger, the collections themselves addressed a pressing contemporary question: How does one dress for a world characterized by darkness, instability, and constant exposure?

    Three distinct aesthetic movements emerged across major houses, signaling a collective departure from pandemic-era comfort dressing toward more protective and intentional fashion statements.

    The dominant trend featured what critics are calling ‘armor for anxious times.’ At Balenciaga, Creative Director Pierpaolo Piccioli collaborated with ‘Euphoria’ creator Sam Levinson to present a collection exploring darkness and light. This manifested in guarded silhouettes: balloon bombers, cocoon backs, and portrait collars that physically framed models’ faces. Similarly, Sarah Burton’s third Givenchy collection presented multiple visions of strength through exact tailoring, strong coats, and peplum hips, while maintaining connection to real-life contexts. Most radically, Junya Watanabe transformed motorcycle gear and emergency blankets into couture-like forms, and McQueen’s Seán McGirr explored paranoia through slashed leather trousers and chainmail textures that simultaneously suggested exposure and defense.

    The second significant shift occurred in silhouette. After years of oversized dominance, Paris runways embraced sharper, more body-conscious lines. Celine’s Michael Rider led this transition with coats and suits sitting closer to the torso, cropped flare trousers, and crisp narrow overcoats for menswear. This new sharpness wasn’t restrictive but character-driven—classic clothes reimagined with stranger proportions and more exact lines. The trend appeared across other houses: Burton relaxed her previously strict hourglass shapes at Givenchy without abandoning structure, while McQueen’s low-rise minis and neat boots continued the body-aware direction.

    The third trend redefined luxury glamour by embracing imperfection. Designers consciously incorporated friction and raw emotion into their presentations. Andreas Kronthaler at Vivienne Westwood staged a simultaneous exploration of grief, eroticism, and disorder through rough seams, smudged lipstick, and unfinished bridal looks. This appetite for authenticity permeated the week: Rider hinted at complex inner lives beneath beautiful surfaces, Piccioli maintained darkness through strategic shadow, and Burton populated Givenchy with distinct female characters rather than a singular ideal.

    Collectively, these movements indicate fashion’s pivot from escapism toward resilience. The most compelling collections didn’t attempt to make the world disappear but rather to equip women with sartorial armor for navigating contemporary realities.

  • Finnish pair wins a barrel of ale in annual ‘wife-carrying’ contest in England

    Finnish pair wins a barrel of ale in annual ‘wife-carrying’ contest in England

    DORKING, Surrey — An unconventional athletic competition unfolded on the grassy slopes of southern England this weekend as couples participated in the United Kingdom’s annual Wife Carrying Race. The event, characterized by its blend of physical endurance and comedic spectacle, saw Finnish partners Teemu Touvinen and Jatta Leinonen claim victory with a remarkable time of 1 minute and 45 seconds.

    Inspired by 19th-century Finnish folklore about village raids and abductions, the modern interpretation emphasizes lighthearted entertainment above historical accuracy. Participants embraced the absurdity with creative costumes while navigating a 380-meter obstacle course that included hay bale hurdles and water bucket assaults.

    The competition demonstrates remarkable inclusivity in both participant selection and carrying techniques. Contestants must carry partners over 18 years old weighing at least 50 kilograms (110 pounds), with underweight participants requiring weighted rucksacks. The rules explicitly permit carrying ‘someone else’s wife’ or any acquaintance, with organizers humorously recommending ‘they should ideally weigh less than you do.’

    Most competitors employed the traditional ‘Estonian Hold’ method, where the carried person hangs upside-down with legs secured around the carrier’s shoulders. The winning Finnish duo received a barrel of local ale as their championship prize.

    While niche, this Scandinavian export has gained international traction with similar events in the United States, Australia, and Poland. The British event, established in 2008, serves as a qualifying competition for the World Wife Carrying Championships in Finland. This year’s fastest British team—Edward Nash and Kathryn Knight, who finished just four seconds behind the winners—will represent the UK at July’s global championship.

  • Hungarian leader Orbán urges European Union to lift Russian energy sanctions

    Hungarian leader Orbán urges European Union to lift Russian energy sanctions

    BUDAPEST, Hungary — Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has formally requested the European Union immediately suspend all sanctions imposed on Russian fossil fuels, citing dramatic energy price increases triggered by ongoing Middle East hostilities. In a social media address on Monday, the Kremlin-aligned leader revealed he had dispatched correspondence to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen urging comprehensive policy reconsideration.

    The escalating Iran conflict, now entering its second week, has disrupted critical oil and gas transportation routes through the Persian Gulf, generating substantial price volatility across global markets. Orbán convened an emergency governmental session to develop strategies for mitigating gasoline and diesel cost inflation within Hungary.

    This stance aligns with Hungary’s consistent opposition to EU initiatives reducing Russian energy dependence since Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Alongside Slovakia, Hungary has preserved and expanded Russian hydrocarbon imports despite continental sanctions. Both nations maintain temporary exemptions from EU prohibitions on Russian oil, historically receiving supplies via the Druzhba pipeline traversing Ukraine.

    However, Druzhba transmissions ceased abruptly on January 27 amid escalating Budapest-Kyiv tensions. Ukrainian authorities attribute the interruption to Russian drone strikes damaging pipeline infrastructure, while Orbán alleges deliberate obstruction by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s administration. In retaliation, Hungary has vetoed proposed EU sanctions against Russia and blocked a pivotal €90 billion EU financial assistance package destined for Ukraine.

    With elections approaching in April, Orbán’s government has intensified anti-Ukraine rhetoric, accusing Zelenskyy of engineering energy shortages to influence Hungarian electoral outcomes. Tensions further escalated Thursday when Hungarian authorities detained seven Ukrainian state bank employees and confiscated two armored vehicles transporting substantial cash and gold reserves over alleged money laundering activities. Ukraine maintains the transfers constituted routine interbank operations and denies all financial misconduct allegations.

  • Police release images of Oslo US embassy explosion suspect

    Police release images of Oslo US embassy explosion suspect

    Norwegian authorities have launched a high-priority investigation into an explosive device detonated outside the U.S. Embassy in Oslo, releasing surveillance images of a suspect while exploring potential terrorist motivations behind the incident.

    On Monday, Oslo police disseminated two heavily pixelated photographs extracted from security footage, depicting an individual clad in dark attire with facial features concealed, carrying a backpack. The explosion occurred at approximately 01:00 local time on Sunday at the embassy’s consular section entrance in Morgedalsvegen district, causing minor structural damage but no casualties.

    Law enforcement confirmed the device was improvised and deliberately positioned at the building’s entrance. Investigators are examining multiple angles including a since-deleted Google Maps video featuring Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was assassinated last month during joint U.S.-Israeli operations in Tehran. While terrorism remains a possible motive, police stated no definitive conclusions have been reached regarding the perpetrator’s intentions.

    The investigation has employed advanced resources including canine units, drones, and helicopters to process the scene. Social media photographs from the incident reveal shattered glass scattered across snow-covered grounds, fractured door panels, and scorch marks on tiled flooring.

    Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide characterized the attack as ‘unacceptable,’ emphasizing the critical importance of diplomatic mission security. The U.S. State Department has concurrently initiated its own investigation into the explosion. Authorities have appealed for public assistance regarding any unusual activity observed between midnight and 02:00 local time on Sunday.

  • Blast outside Belgium synagogue was ‘antisemitic act’, mayor says

    Blast outside Belgium synagogue was ‘antisemitic act’, mayor says

    An explosion rocked the Belgian city of Liège in the early hours of Monday, causing significant damage to a historic synagogue. The blast occurred at approximately 04:00 local time directly in front of the religious building, shattering windows across the street though fortunately resulting in no injuries.

    Local authorities have characterized the incident as a deliberate antisemitic attack. Liège Mayor Willy Demeyer immediately condemned the explosion as targeting the Jewish community, while Prime Minister Bart De Wever expressed solidarity through social media, stating: “Antisemitism is an attack on our values and our society, and we must combat it unequivocally.”

    The Belgian federal prosecutor’s office, which handles terrorism and organized crime cases, has assumed leadership of the investigation. Police established an extensive security perimeter around the site, closing the street throughout Monday morning as forensic experts examined evidence including scorch marks and debris visible in photographs from the scene.

    Local residents reported being awakened by the powerful blast that shook nearby buildings. One woman residing close to the synagogue told RTBF public broadcaster that she initially mistook the explosion for a gas-related incident.

    Interior Minister Bernard Quintin denounced what he called a “despicable antisemitic act that directly targeted Belgium’s Jewish community.” He confirmed that security measures around Jewish institutions would remain heightened, noting that security services had already been on high alert due to concerns about potential threats motivated by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

    The Liège synagogue, constructed in 1899, additionally functions as a museum documenting the history of the city’s Jewish community according to its website. This incident follows recent security concerns in Belgium, including the October arrest of three individuals suspected of plotting a jihadist-inspired drone attack against Prime Minister De Wever and other politicians.

  • Belgium describes a blast near a synagogue as a ‘despicable antisemitic attack’

    Belgium describes a blast near a synagogue as a ‘despicable antisemitic attack’

    BRUSSELS — Belgian authorities have launched a federal investigation into an explosive device detonated outside a synagogue in Liege during the early hours of Monday, which Interior Minister Bernard Quintin explicitly condemned as a “despicable antisemitic act.

    The incident occurred in eastern Belgium’s city of Liege, where local police confirmed the blast resulted in structural damage to a building adjacent to the synagogue, shattering windows but causing no injuries. Security personnel immediately cordoned off the affected area for forensic examination.

    In an official statement via social media platform X, Minister Quintin asserted that the attack “directly targeted the Jewish community of Belgium” and pledged enhanced security measures around Jewish institutions nationwide. Notably, Belgian officials made no connection between the explosion and the ongoing U.S.-Israel military operations against Iran.

    The incident coincides with heightened security alerts across multiple European nations including France and Germany, which have announced reinforced protective measures for sensitive locations. While these countries acknowledge increased vigilance in response to Middle Eastern hostilities, they maintain no direct military involvement in the conflict. Belgium’s Transport Ministry has separately called for intensified security protocols around the national railway infrastructure.